


the all-maker's gifts

by lycanicNovelist



Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Blizzards, M/M, Religious Discussion, in which you liken your lover to god
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-20 19:26:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17028588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lycanicNovelist/pseuds/lycanicNovelist
Summary: Thorn and Micah perform their duties to the letter. They protect the All-Maker's gifts.For Lucius.





	the all-maker's gifts

The All-Maker gives, and gives, and gives. He takes very little for what he gives, and the Skaal are expected to do the same. Their goal is to live without making a great impact on the land. Only take what you need, and if the land gives you more than you need, you give back to the land. When a tree falls and provides you with a home, you plant another tree in its honor. When a great beast dies to feed your people, you ensure its kin will prosper. If you provide for the land, the land will provide for you. That is the way of the Skaal.

That is what you were taught, your mother and father before you, and their mothers and fathers before them. Before you were born, your mother pricked herself on a bramble, as a warning not to take its fruit. Inside the bramble was a nest, with a mother and her chicks. The fruit was for them, not for her. Reminded of the way of the land, your mother named you Thurisaz- protection, thorn, reminder and warning.

“Thorn! Are you coming?”

You look up from your mother’s crouched form, praying before the fire. You were just going to say goodbye before leaving, but you knew not to disturb her in prayer. Instead, you lightly touched her shoulder as a sign of acknowledgement. Her shoulders straightened, and she exhaled softly; her little way of blessing you before leaving.

You left your mother’s side to join Micah at the edge of the village. Wulf was there with him, reminding him of what you were to do. Micah nodded to his words- don't kill except in self-defense for necessity, don’t take what you don’t need, trade with Thirsk and move on, survey the stones. Those were your jobs as scouts, and you took them very seriously.

“You’ll have to go to Raven Rock to check on the Earth Stone. You can trade with them, but look at their skins and stones closely. Make sure they were taken from the land in the way we would take them.”

“Of course, Wulf. We have done this before, you know,” you quip as you walk up, earning you a stern look from the First Hunter. 

“Thurisaz, don’t take this so lightly. The Adversary preys on lax attitudes.” Micah doesn’t say anything, but he gives you a smile. He, more than anyone, knows how serious you are. He places a hand on Wulf’s shoulder, and the older man calms a little.

“All-Maker guide you both. I’m sure you’ll return to the village safe, so long as you remember yourselves.”

“Thank you, Wulf. We’ll return before you can miss us.”

“You, I will miss, Micah. Thurisaz... not so much.” The older man smiles, his previous sternness gone. He speaks a blessing to the both of you, which you return, before the both of you turn from the village and begin your journey.

“Does Wulf have to give us the same lecture every time we leave? We’ve been doing this for several years.” You shift your pack a little as you walk, using the motion to sidle closer to Micah. He just shakes his head.

“You know how he is. We’ve had hard seasons before, and he just wants to make sure we’re doing everything right. We can never be too careful.” He says this as he vaults over a fallen log, nearly hitting you with his sheathed sword. You knew to stand back, because he always jumped over that log, without fail. You step over it, having the longer legs.

“I know. It should be endearing, but it’s just a little annoying. Humbling, nonetheless.” Whenever you got too cocky, either Wulf or Micah were there to bring you back down to earth. You much preferred Micah’s methods of doing so.

You travel with the silence between you for a while, keeping your ears and eyes out for anything that might be out of the ordinary. The Wind Stone is closest to the village, so that’s where you head first. It only takes the two of you half an hour to trek to the sacred pillar, standing tall near the Harstrad River. If not for the cliffs on either side of the fjord near the village, it would have taken you the better part of the day to reach the Wind Stone- but you could have passed the Beast Stone on the way.

Micah leaves his pack a few feet from the pillar, and you do the same. The pillar emanates a quiet power, so you know that its gift has not been stolen. Still, the two of you circle it, and look for any signs of damage or tampering. The stone’s carvings have been worn down by centuries of weathering, but you place a gloved hand upon them, feeling the grooves etched on long ago.

The air around the Wind Stone is always fresher than elsewhere on the island, and there is always a light, soothing breeze. While your furred armor protects you from the snow, it can get stuffy inside it, so you pull down your hood and let the wind play with your hair. Thin, russet strands blow beside your face, and you close your eyes, content to stand here and just listen to the wind.

Micah is likewise quiet as he inspects the stone. You can sense his presence as he moves around you, and he settles beside you. You open an eye, and he has his hood down too, letting the wind toss his shorter, darker hair.

You and Micah were raised together, of course. You were born only a few weeks apart, so you were almost identical in age, which made you ideal playmates. Wulf always said the two of you were like wolf pups, always wrestling together and making noise. Apparently, the two of you were rivals, but you couldn’t tell now. While Micah has the dexterity for the sword, you’re the quicker draw with a bow. You have the stronger arm with the hammer, but he has the hardest bash with a shield. You complement each other.

“We should move on,” Micah says, softly, as if his breath is carried on the gentle breeze. You nod, and the two of you depart from the Wind Stone.

“The Tree Stone?” You ask, and Micah confirms.

“Tomorrow. And we can see the Beast Stone same day.”

“Then to the Sun Stone,” you continue. “Then the Earth Stone, and the Water Stone on the farthest edge of the island.” You can picture them all in your mind, and the land surrounding them. The Tree Stone is higher in the mountains, so you will have to make a small detour through them to reach it. You’ll have to set up camp for the night, but you’ve prepared for that.

You and Micah stay close to one another as you pass the Harstrad, and begin climbing into the foothills of the Moesring Mountains. The sun is high overhead, though obscured by the clouds, so its heat does not reach. Normally, you would worry about the Sun Stone, but the clouds are always present in the mountains. The shaman says it protects the village from the sight of the Adversary, and that elsewhere, the sun shines bright.

Sure enough, once you crest the foothills, the sun appears, casting diamond-bright glints on the snow. You pull your hood up once more to shield your eyes, and squint into the distance, looking for the Three Peaks.

Mount Moesring to the south, Frykte Peak to the north, and Mortrag Peak to the north-east. Fra behind Mount Moesring, you know Hvitkald Peak looms, but you only need to see the Three to know where you are.

“Micah,” you call, and he answers from only a few feet behind. “Let’s break near the barrow. Then we can camp at the pass for the night.”

“Good idea,” he responds, and the two of you break for a moment near the barrow of Hrothmund. Normally, you wouldn’t dare break near the burial ground of an ex-Skaal, but the leader of Thirsk Hall gave you their blessing.

As Micah takes stock of your supplies, you start to build a fire. Using your tinder kit, you have a small fire burning within minutes, and several salted strips of horker meat laid over the wood. You know Micah likes his meat smokier than yours.

“There will probably be Rieklings in the pass. I don’t want to, but we’ll have to fight.” He lays his sword on the snow beside him, and yo can see the cold, blue stone on its pommel. You glance at your hammer beside you, its round, rough head barely refracting the sun’s light.

“If we can’t make peace, we’ll do what we have to do.” You place the meat on a plate, and hand it to Micah. “You would think they’d learn our routes, and avoid them when we come around, but they’re so damn stubborn.”

To be honest, it gives you no guilt to kill the Rieklings. They cover the island, and however many you take down, more will fill their place by the time you come back around. They’re invasive, and occasionally attack the village, so you see them as enemies of the Skaal and the All-Maker, sent by the Adversary to distract you. Still, you must respect what little intelligence they have.

Micah sits beside you while you eat, his arm brushing yours. Being with him is... comfortable. He doesn’t nag you, and he knows you’re just as serious about your job as he is, though you may be a little more relaxed. You take a small jar of preserved Jazbay jelly from your pack- a special prize from your last trade in Raven Rock- and spread a bit in your horker. It takes away some of the hard gaminess, and makes the meat sweet.

“It’s beautiful up here,” you say. “I’m glad so much of the island was untouched by the Red Mountain. And what was hit, I know it can be fixed.”

“The All-Maker will make things right again,” Micah says, and places a hand over yours. “We are his children, and we’re here to help him in any way we can.” You look at him, and he smiles. His eyes are darker than the fresh soil, and his hair stands out against the white snow behind him. He looks like a dark spirit sent by the All-Maker to help you.

“Yes, we will. Together.”

The sun has moved in the sky when you pack up from your break, and you take out your bow. You’re not sure what you’ll find at the pass, but you want to be prepared. As you walk, the clouds gradually pass in front of the sun, taking away its warmth, so you and Micah stay close together. He keeps one hand on his sword’s pommel, the other ready to grad his shield.

You can see the Riekling structures before you see any of the creatures. As you get closer, you notice that you don’t hear any of the telltale sounds of the gremlin-like creatures- their nonsencical grumblings, or the sound of their bristleback mounts. Maybe they finally learned their lesson and left- but once you crest the top of the pass, you know something is wrong.

“Thorn.” Micah sense it too. You have your bow ready, arrow already nocked, but Micah doesn’t have his sword. He’s looking back the way you came, towards where the Wind Stone is.

“I don’t see anything,” you say, but keep your bow ready. Micah takes a step back, and looks at you. You see something in his eyes that you rarely see, something that makes your stomach turn.

_Fear._

“Blizzard,” he says.

That’s why you can’t see anything. Below the pass, the wind and snow is too thick to see anything. It’s a wonder the two of you weren’t caught up in it before, but it must have started once you were well up the mountain. Now, all it can do is follow you.

The two of you don’t even speak as you drop your packs to the ground and start unpacking the tents. You have time before the blizzard gets close enough, but you both know that you need to bet ready as soon as possible. You turn your back from Micah as you start sticking the poles into the ground and securing them, and pulling the thick, reinforced hide over them. You’ve almost got them all in place, when you heard loud, hard  _SNAP_  behind you.

You turn and see Micah, one half of a pole in the ground, the other half on the ground beside him, with a red welt across his face. It’s easy to tell what happened, but you drop to his side anyway, your fingers hesitant to touch the mark.

“Are you alright? What happened?”

“Bent the pole too far- snapped in my hands.” He doesn’t need to say that it smacked him in the face along the way. Unfortunately, the pole he broke was the main support pole, meaning his tent is now completely unusable.

It’s clear what you have to do.

“Help me put the cover over my tent. It should be large enough for both of us.” Micah doesn’t protest, and the two of you haul his hide cover and secure it over yours. It’ll give you both some extra protection.

The tent is large enough for three people, but with your supplies, it’s going to be a tight fit. You haul your pack inside first, and then Micah’s, followed by your weapons. You then let Micah crawl in first. He lays down the furs and blankets you’ll be lying on, and then he moves over to let you in.

You slide in and secure the tent’s outside flap, and just as you do, you feel the structure shudder as the first wind of the blizzard reaches the pass. You lie down on your side of the tent and exhale hard- you both just barely made it in time before the brunt of the storm hit.

“Thank you, Thorn.” Micah’s voice is quiet where he is lying on his side, looking at you. You roll to face him.

“For what? Did you think I would just leave you out there?”

Micah laughs, but his heart isn’t in it. “I’ve assembled that tent hundreds of times. Why did I mess up now?”

You don’t have an answer, but you wiggle a little, moving closer. Outside the tent, the wind picks up, and you don’t want to feel the chill. “You were anxious to fix it before the storm hit. It’s alright, we can get another pole.”

“I’m lucky you’re here,” he says, and moves closer himself. “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.”

“Prayed,” you say. “Prayed to the All-Maker for help.”

He doesn’t answer. There’s something else troubling him, so you ask him what it is. He avoids answering for a moment.

“... Did I do something wrong? Is the All-Maker upset with me?”

The question, had you not been lying down, would have floored you. Micah is one of the most dedicated and pious men in the village, and you can’t think of anything that would justify the All-Maker being angry with him. You would expect him to be angry with  _you_.

“Why would the All-Maker be angry with you? You’ve done nothing to make him upset.”

“My tent’s pole broke. If not for you, I would probably die out there.” Micah’s form becomes smaller as he curls in on himself, and you can see a shake in his body that isn’t from the cold. Your heart aches for him.

“That wasn’t the All-Maker's doing. He would never hurt you. He... he loves you.” You pull off your gloves, and you cup Micah’s face in your hands. His cheeks are cold and red under your fingers. “Micah, listen to me.” You force his face to meet yours, so you can see his eyes.

“The All-Maker would never do this to you. You... I think the All-Maker loves you best.” It wasn’t blasphemous to say, but the All-Maker doesn’t play favorites. You believe it, though. He gave Micah all of the Gifts- he can heal with the Waters of Life, he has the Warmth of the Sun, he has the Wisdom of the Trees, he has Earth’s Strength, and the Cunning of the Beasts, and the Wind’s Gentle Touch. “The All-Maker made you and he said you were the best.”

“Thorn,” he breathes, and his face becomes even redder. His eyes are wide, and he’s speechless, aside from your name. That’s a good thing, because you can’t stop speaking. The words are pouring from you, like a flooded waterfall.

“The All-Maker needs someone to protect those gifts, not just the Skaal. Like Aevar Stone-Singer, who brought the gifts back after the Greedy Man stole them, the Skaal protect them, but, when someone has all the gifts themselves, then there needs to be someone there to protect them, and I’m here to protect you!”

You don’t know what you’re saying. You do, but you don’t know where the words are coming from. They roll off of your tongue easily, like song, like prayer. Each word is a holy affirmation.

“Maybe the All-Maker did do this, but he didn’t do this to hurt you. He did it so that... so that your gifts would be protected.” You don’t know that, but you  _do._  The All-Maker gives, and gives, and gives, and his children do the same. Micah gives his gifts to the land and to the Skaal, and you give your protection.

_Thurisaz_ _. Thorn. Protection. Reminder. Warning._

**_Purpose._ **

You are out of words. The heaviness of them fill the tent, so loud and present that the howl of the storm is unheard, and its chill is unfelt. You’re afraid that your words have hurt Micah, that you called him weak, but you feel his hands on your arms, and you feel him pulling you closer. You see his eyes, warm again, and his cheeks, red, but not from shame. Red from something else.

You feel his lips, soft, smoky, hesitant. The aching in your heart stops, and for the first time in a very long time, you know what it feels like to have a light heart. You cup his face again, and you close your eyes and feel him- not just his body, but his presence. He is a gift you must protect at all costs.

“The All-Maker loves you too,” Micah whispers against your mouth. “I know he loves you, because I do.”

Your mother and father were scouts before you and Micah, and the two of you took up their task. You go to every settlement on Solstheim and keep the peace, and make sure the land is whole. She told you, many years ago, that she and your father were stranded in a blizzard in the mountains, and that’s when she knew she loved your father. You always knew you were going to follow in her footsteps, but never knew this closely.

You ask Micah to say it again, and he does. You say it back, and the words feel right in your mouth. You whisper a prayer in the All-Maker's name, thanking him for his gifts, but you don’t say it to him, and you know the All-Father doesn’t mind. When you praise his gifts, you praise him as well.

You praise the gift he gave you all night long, and in return, he praises the All-Father's final, most important gift of protection.

-_-_-

When you wake up in the morning, the storm is gone. The sun beats down hard on the tent, and fresh snow covers the Riekling structures all around, but your tent is untouched.

When you break camp, you ask Micah if he had the same dream as you last night.

“The one where we’re standing above the village, and the All-Father is with us. And we see ourselves walk back into the village, and there’s a child running up to meet us.”

“I did have that dream... Do you think the All-Maker gave us a vision of the future?”

“I don’t know... Did you like the dream?”

Micah squeezes your hand, and places a kiss on your cheek. “It was the greatest dream I’ve ever had.”

Thank the All-Maker.

Looking down the slope, the snow looks hard and slick, and if you were to try and walk down, you’d slip and break more than just your tent poles. “How are we going to get down?”

Micah looks down the slope, then smiles. “I think I have an idea.” He takes his shield off his back, and sets it face-down in the snow, then sits on top of it. There’s enough room left on it for you to crouch behind him. “Hop on, my gift.”

You don’t need to be told twice.

**Author's Note:**

> 3,500 words, written over two days.
> 
> This was written alongside Lucius drawing our boys kissing tenderly. We made these characters up on the fly, so, of course, we had to make them as gay and tender as possible. Art will be added later.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
